Zimbabwe's Opposition Party Suspends Six Of Its Leaders

Zimbabwean political analyst Heneri Dzinotyiwei says he is not surprised by the suspension of six top leaders of the country’s leading opposition group, the MDC, from the party's executive body. He said it was a predictable outcome where the party’s two opposing camps were trying to outmaneuver each other.

Professor Heneri Dzintoyiwei – who heads the Harare-based think tank, Integrated Development – says the MDC’s leaders need to promote dialogue and refrain from “excessively publicizing their disagreements.” If they did that, he says, the party can resolve its current crisis and move on.

The Zimbabwean analyst says the current split does not reflect badly – or undermine – the leadership of party head Morgan Tsvangirai. Professor Dzintoyiwei says the Zimbabwean public doesn’t attach much significance to the row in the MDC. Instead, he says, Zimbabweans are more concerned with bread and butter issues – issues they like the MDC to address more forcefully.